Person of interest in missing Dominican Republic tourist case set free by judge

'It is with deep sadness and heavy, heavy heart, we are coming to the terms with the fact that our daughter has drowned,' Sudiksha Konanki's parents said.

A judge in the Dominican Republic granted a request for freedom for Joshua Riibe, who is believed to be the last person to have seen missing U.S. tourist Sudiksha Konanki before her disappearance on March 6.

Riibe’s lawyer Alfredo Guzmán Saladín filed a habeas corpus petition seeking the release of their client. A hearing addressing the petition was held on March 18.

The petition asked for the return of Riibe’s passport, which was allegedly withheld by Dominican authorities while the 22-year-old college student was being interviewed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI, who were investigating the case.

Judge Edwin Rijo ordered Riibe’s release, saying that he can cooperate with authorities without being detained.

“All parties say that he has cooperated in everything that has been asked of him,” Rijo said, adding that Riibe is a witness and as such, cannot be detained.

The Associated Press reports that so many journalists showed up to cover the hours-long hearing, it had to be moved to a bigger courtroom.

Before the ruling, prosecutors told the judge that Riibe was not under arrest and that he was free to move around the hotel where he is staying. They said Riibe told them he lost his passport, although Riibe said in court that officials had seized his passport and cellphone.

“I really want to be able to go home and talk to my family, give them hugs,” Riibe told the judge via a translator. “I understand that I’m here to help. I’ve done that. It’s been 10 days.”